The Goethe Medal, also known as the Goethe-Medaille, is a yearly prize given by the Goethe-Institut honoring non-Germans "who have performed outstanding service for the German language and for international cultural relations". It is an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. The prize used to be given on 22 March, the anniversary of Goethe's death. Since 2009, it has been given on 28 August, the anniversary of Goethe's birth. The first awards were made in 1955. In the intervening years, through 2018, a total of 348 women and men from 65 countries have been so honored. It is not to be confused with Goethe-Medaille für Kunst und Wissenschaft (1932–1944) and Goetheplakette der Stadt Frankfurt am Main. Recent recipients The recent recipients are: 2021 Marilyn Douala Bell, Socio-economist Toshio Hosokawa, Composer Wen Hui, Choreographer 2020 Zukiswa Wanner, Writer, publisher and curator Ian McEwan, Author Elvira Espejo Ayca, Artist and museum director 2019 Enkhbat Roozon, Publisher, bookseller and political journalist Shirin Neshat, Artist and filmmaker Doğan Akhanlı, freelance author of novels and essays in Turkish, and a play in German 2018 Heidi Abderhalden and Rolf Abderhalden (Mapa Teatro), Colombian theater maker Claudia Andujar, Brazilian photographer and activist Péter Eötvös, Hungarian composer and conductor 2017 Urvashi Butalia, Indian feminist and historian Emily Nasrallah, Lebanese writer Irina Shcherbakova, Russian historian and journalist 2016 Akinbode Akinbiyi, British-Nigerian photographer Yurii Andrukhovych, Ukrainian writer and translator David Lordkipanidze, Georgian anthropologist and archaeologist 2015 Sadiq Jalal al-Azm, Syrian philosopher and writer Neil MacGregor, British art historian and former museum director Eva Sopher, German-Brazilian cultural entrepreneur 2014 Krystyna Meissner, Polish director Robert Wilson, American director and playwright Gerard Mortier, (posthumously) Belgian opera director 2013 S. Mahmoud Hosseini Zad, Persian translator of German literature. Naveen Kishore, publisher of Seagull Books. Petros Markaris, Greek novelist. 2012 Irena Veisaitė Bolat Atabayev Dževad Karahasan, Bosnian writer 2011 John le Carré Adam Michnik Ariane Mnouchkine 2010 Ágnes Heller, Hungarian philosopher Fuad Rifka John Spalek 2009 Lars Gustafsson Victor Scoradet Sverre Dahl 2008 Gholam Dastgir Behbud Bernard Sobel John E. Woods 2007 Daniel Barenboim Dezső Tandori Kim Min-ki 2006 Vera San Payo de Lemos Giwi Margwelaschwili Said 2005 Samuel Assefa Ruth Klüger Dmytro Zatonsky Yoko Tawada Simone Young 2004 Mohan Agashe Kevin Willie Imre Kertész Paul Michael Lützeler Anatoli A. Michailow Sergio Paulo Rouanet 2003 Lenka Reinerová Jorge Semprún 2002 Werner Michael Blumenthal Georges-Arthur Goldschmidt Francisek Grucza Touradj Rahnema Antonio Skármeta 2001 Adonis